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Ghanaian women defy the odds to earn Cambridge degrees

Three Ghanaian women academics graduated from the University of Cambridge after pushing past significant obstacles in rural communities. Scholarship programmes based in Accra and Kumasi are expanding on the ground. The graduates plan to return and establish science and engineering laboratories.

University campus in Accra in morning light
University campus in Accra in morning lightPhoto: Maxx Sas / Pexels
BBC Africa1 h ago
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According to BBC Africa reporter Esau Williams, Abena Owusu from the village of Apoa near Kumasi, Esi Boahen from Accra and Hadiza Mahama from Tamale received their diplomas last week at Trinity College, Cambridge. Owusu earned a doctorate in applied mathematics, Boahen in microbiology and Mahama in mechanical engineering. All three were supported by the Cambridge Africa Scholarship.

Ghanaian Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu announced at an Accra press conference that the number of scholarships under the programme would rise from 240 to 600 over the next three years. The Ghana Cocoa Marketing Board and Newmont Ghana made sponsorship commitments. Cambridge scholarship coordinator Dr Pauline Mitchell said a podcast series had been launched to attract more applicants.

The three academics will launch laboratory projects within Kumasi University and the University of Ghana, Accra. UNESCO West Africa director Dimitri Sanga said the programme model would also be assessed for regional impact in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire. The graduates' first opening lecture is set for the end of this month.

RegulationAfricaBBC Africa
Source: BBC Africa
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This article is an AI-curated summary of the original story published by BBC Africa. The illustration is a stock photo by Maxx Sas from Pexels and is not from the original story.

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